Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Lake Superior takes center stage at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, just three miles wide but spanning more than 40 miles along this magnificent lake from Munising [1] to Grand Marais [2]. Pictured Rocks [3] derives its name from the sandstone bluffs that rise 200 feet directly up from the water’s surface. Washed in shades of pink, red, and green due to the mineral-rich water that seeps from the rock, these famous bluffs extend for more than 15 miles, at times sculpted into caves, arches, and castle-like turrets.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore also features a lesser-known, but equally spectacular, stretch of shoreline called the Grand Sable Banks, where 200-foot sand dunes are hemmed by a 12-mile ribbon of sand and pebble beach. If that’s not enough, you’ll also find lakes, forest trails, waterfalls, a lighthouse, and other historic attractions—plenty of reasons to put Pictured Rocks at the top of the list for anyone visiting the eastern U.P. [4]

Getting to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

H-58 provides access to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, winding roughly along the park’s southern boundary and linking Munising [1] and Grand Marais [2]. A large stretch of the road—from Beaver Lake [5] to the Grand Sable Dunes [6]—is unpaved and can deteriorate into washboard rough enough to jar your dental work loose. Leave the ’55 T-bird at home and plan your time accordingly—it’s about a 90-minute trip from one end to the other.